Lifting tool



Dec. 25, 1934. F. A. HETZEL 1,985,571

LIFTING TOOL I Filed March 24, 1933 Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFTING TOOL The invention relates to tools for lifting crates as of bottles of soft drinks, and has as an object the provision of a handle readily applicable to a crate whereby the crate may be handled by one hand.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tool of the class described of exceedingly simple construction and which may be very readily applied to the crate and removed therefrom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a lifting tool which may be made of sheet metal by stamping operations and which will have sufficient rigidity.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section of a tool applied to a crate, the tool being shown in section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

As shown the device comprises a body portion and a depending portion 11 projecting downwardly therefrom for contact with the outside of the crate, as illustrated in Fig. 2, when the crate tilts under lifting force applied to one end only thereof.

When the device is made of sheet metal the material at each side of the depending portion 11 is sheared away and bent to provide the hook portions 12, 13 adapted to enter the hand hole 14 of the crate and to engage one edge thereof to apply lifting force to the crate. The body 10 is shown as extending upwardly to a neck portion 15 continued into a handle 16, the center thereof being cut away as shown at 17. To prevent cutting of the fingers of the user by the sharp edge of the opening 17, the material cut loose from l, Harrisburg, Pa.

1933, Serial No. 662,627

the opening in its production is desirably left unsevered at the upper edge of the Opening and the thus produced flap is turned into a roll 18 to form a lower edge of the lifting bar 19 of the handle.

The strain of the hooks 12, 13 upon the crate as it hangs from the hand of the user causes a considerable bending stress upon the portions 10,

11, 15. To stiffen these portions there is shown a corrugation 20 extending vertically there- 10 through. Obviously a number of smaller corrugations may be formed in this portion of the device if desired.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of 15 the appended claim without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

A crate lifting tool comprising an integral sheet metal body terminating in a handle por- 20 tion having a finger receiving opening and formed with a central backbone portion with a stiffening corrugation extending from said finger receiving opening to the opposite end of said body; a roll of material integral at one edge with the finger engaging side of said opening, said roll standing in said opening and centered with respect to said central backbone portion; a pair of lateral wings projecting oppositely from said backbone portion; and crate engaging hooks projecting from the lower edges of said wings at each side of said backbone member in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said handle and .wing portions; said crate engaging hooks having a bight extending a substantial distance at right angles to the plane of said body and having upturned portions extending a substantial distance upward from said bight parallel to said body.

FRANK A. HETZEL. 

